Just Friends
by forthegloryofdragons
Summary: Everyone knows that Hiccup and Astrid have feelings for each other. Ask anyone and they will tell you the same thing. There is just one problem. They refuse to admit it. Maybe their friends will be able to help them along? Takes place after "To Heather or Not To Heather".
1. Is This Real?

_"How about Hiccup?"_

 _"What about him?"_

 _"Astrid, life is too short. You need to express your feelings. Stop wasting time. You two are perfect."_

Heather is right. I have to do something. Sure, maybe I could've hidden it from her months ago. But now, there's no way. There's no doubt about it. But I refuse to admit it to myself.

All my life, I've been training to become the best warrior Berk will ever see for years to come. I could never see myself falling in love. Ever. It just didn't seem like something that could happen to someone like me. Most girls have the lifelong dream that they'll fall in love with "the one", and have an amazing life alongside him. Me? I've always told myself there was no one out there who understood my desire to fight, and just be, well, me.

To be honest, I've always felt something towards Hiccup. But I never did anything about it because he was what his name implied; a hiccup. I was a warrior in training. I had a reputation to uphold as a Hofferson. It would never have looked good if I had opened up about my feelings. In fact, he was a thorn in everyone's side for years. While the other teens teased and picked on him, I did nothing. Firstly because it wasn't right, and secondly, because I didn't want him to be in any more pain than he already was.

After he saved the village from the Red Death, I spent the few weeks he was out either by his side, or somewhere I could be found easily if he were to wake up. Stoick didn't mind, in fact, he appreciated that I was there to watch over his son. Toothless was there, but it was understandable that he didn't fully trust the dragon yet. Me being there made him feel better about leaving his son alone to carry out his chiefly duties. So I stayed there with Toothless, constantly telling him and myself that he would wake up soon.

I spent a lot of that time thinking about what I wanted to happen. I was sure of one thing; I would never leave Hiccup without a friend ever again. He had never done anything to deserve what he had for all those years. I was going to make it up to him by being a friend.

When he woke up, reflexively I punched him. Then I did something that surprised me. I kissed him. I regretted it after, but when he didn't look repulsed, I smiled back. But nothing much happened after that. In fact, that was just the beginning of our friendship.

So together, we led the Dragon Academy, went searching for new dragons, and battled Outcasts and Berserkers. By then, we were best friends. Completely inseparable. If I ever got in trouble, he pulled me out, and if the roles were reversed, I did the same, although I'd punch him after for even getting into trouble in the first place. He took it all with a smile and a sarcastic quip, knowing that he deserved it. Which he did, mind you.

Now, we live on Dragons Edge. We do a lot of exploring and flying out here, charting new lands and working on his map together. I enjoy every second of my time with him.

When Heather visited, and she asked if we were an item, it caught me by surprise. I didn't say so. After all, we were just best friends right? So I told Heather that. I don't think she believed me, but whatever floats her boat, right?

She made it sound like she was already sure it was going to happen, but I wasn't so sure. Hiccup and I were just friends. Nothing more.

A few weeks ago, I fell ill with the Scourge of Odin. Hiccup was the only person who noticed something was wrong and saw through my facade.

When Snotlout brought me to the island where they found the Buffalord, I was barely awake. Though I distinctly remember falling off Stormfly, right into Hiccup's waiting arms.

"Just rest. We're going to beat this," he said. "I promise you, Astrid. You just have to keep fighting and hold on."

"You need to stay with us. I can't imagine a world without you in it."

Even in my weakened state, my heart skipped a beat upon hearing those words. He really cared.

"Hang in there, Astrid. Just a little longer. Please. For me."

So I did. For him. Because he told me to.

And after he found the cure, I told him I couldn't imagine a world without him in it either.

After that Viggo fiasco, as Hiccup called it, and Heather came back, she sprang this on me. Really? I'm so confused.

Does she really see something that I don't? I've never been one for romance or love stories, so why is she implying that I'm a part of one? I lie on my bed staring up at the ceiling as Heather sleeps soundly in the corner on the bed we set up for her while she stays here on the Edge. I glance at her. What if she's right? What if there is something that I don't see? Have I really been denying everything for the past four years? What if...

What if I'm in love?

The thought of it does not makes me feel disgusted and angry as I would have expected a few years ago. It makes me feel warm and comfortable inside, like it is right. It is a welcome feeling.

I sigh loudly, more conflicted than ever. I decide I need some fresh air, so I stand up and head for the door, picking up my axe along the way, just in case. I make sure to stay quiet so I don't wake Heather. As I walk to the beach, I sneak quick glances at Hiccup's hut. He's probably fast asleep, just as I should be. But my thoughts are flying around in my head too fast for me to be able to get any rest at all.

I arrive on the soft sand of the beach and sit down, placing my axe beside me. I bring my knees up to my chest and wrap my arms around them. I stare out at the sea, and the moon, and am instantly reminded of the first night we spent away from Berk.

Should I say something? What if he doesn't feel the same way? Will it change anything between us? If I don't say anything, I will lose him. He's the Chief's son. He would never go for a girl like me. What if I'm not good enough for him. What if I-

"Astrid? You okay?" I jump at the sound of his voice. It is only then I realize silent tears are rolling down my cheeks. I quickly wipe them away before he can see.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I lie. "I didn't hear you coming."

"I'm sorry. May I?" He asks, gesturing to the ground beside me. I nod and move my axe to the other side so he can sit. I rest my chin on my arms.

"Are you sure everything's okay?" He asks, placing a hand on my shoulder. I turn away from him.

 _It's now or never_ , I tell myself. _Say it, and get it over with._

"Astrid?"

I make up my mind. I turn back around and look into his forest green eyes.

"Hiccup, I need to talk to you."

* * *

 **A/N: Hi! I actually started writing this a while ago and posted it first on Wattpad under my story Life on Berk. After seeing the response I got from it, I decided to start uploading my writing here. I actually have the first three chapters up already, so I will upload them here as well. I do have a lot planned for this story and I really hope you guys enjoy it. :)**


	2. The Nightmare's Aren't Real

_"Hang in there, Astrid. Just a little longer. Please." My eyes sting with unshed tears as I pick up her hand gently, as if she would break if I held it too forcefully. "For me."_

 _For a minute I think she is going to make it. That she is strong enough. She can make it through this. I know she can._

 _Her hand goes limp. She exhales. I wait for her to breathe in, but nothing happens._

 _No, no, no, no. Astrid, wake up._

 _I let go of her hand and grab her shoulders, shaking her slightly. When I get no reaction, I let go and place my head on her chest, silently praying that she's still alive. No heartbeat. A sob breaks through my throat, I can't breathe. Tears run freely down my face as I hug her cold lifeless body._

 _She can't be gone. She just can't._

 _"You should have saved her while you had the chance, Hiccup." Viggo._

 _It's his fault._

 _I glare up at him. He's wearing the most smug triumphant grin ever. My lips curl back in a snarl as I charge towards him with all intentions of spilling blood._

 _Just before I come close enough to take him on, Toothless roars. It's not a threatening sound. In fact, he sounds almost worried. He roars louder as if telling me something. I pause in my tracks. What in the name of Thor-_

I wake up to a huge paw on my chest preventing me from breathing. I shove it away and gasp for breath. I realize tears are running down my face.

It was a dream. It wasn't real. Astrid is fine.

Toothless croons worriedly at me. I rub his scaly head and reassure him that I'm alright. I wipe the tears away and lie back down, staring up at the ceiling.

It's been weeks since Astrid got the Scourge of Odin and recovered. We got the antidote, and she's fine now.

We were so close to losing her. I'd never been so terrified in my life. Not when we took on the Red Death or the Screaming Death. Not even on the numerous times I'd been captured by Alvin or Dagur had I been so afraid. I stared death in the face countless times, yet I had never been so scared. I almost lost one of the most important people in my life.

I never told anyone, or showed it, but I suspected something was off when she came back from patrol that day. Being the stubborn Viking she is, she shrugged it off as if it were nothing. So I didn't push the subject, fearing it would irritate her, but I kept my eye on her nonetheless.

She had been fine for the rest of the day, albeit still upset. We all assumed that the bodies she had seen on the boat were to blame. Seeing people who had died from such a deadly disease would put anybody on edge. Even the strongest of warriors.

But when Stormfly barged into my hut, Astrid had tried to hide it, but it was plain as day. She was sick. Everyone was worried. But I refused to leave her side.

She insisted that she was alright, but none of us believed her. She would've hit the ground if I hadn't caught her in time. No, she wasn't fine at all.

The others headed to the Clubhouse to find any clues from our Dragon Eye notes that would lead us to the Buffalord. I stayed with her. Assured her we would do everything we could to find the Buffalord.

Her coughing fits kept her awake that night, so we spent most of the time talking. Most of it was me telling her it would be okay. But she told me something else that I never would have expected from her.

She was scared.

The fearless Viking warrior Astrid Hofferson was afraid. That was what terrified me.

After she fell into a restless sleep, we spent the time searching for the antidote, and we did find it. But we faced difficulties getting the Buffalord back to the Edge. So we brought her to the island.

She looked awful by then, for lack of better words. She couldn't even balance herself on Stormfly. I caught her before she fell, and I looked at her. Her skin had taken on a pale shade of green, and she had dark circles under her eyes, a clear indication that she hadn't been able to rest well. She was in pain, and that was my motivation. I couldn't bear to see her like that. I would've gone through it for her if I could spare her the pain. But I couldn't, so the next best thing would have been to give her the antidote, and rid her of the Scourge.

When Viggo showed up, I felt a rage unlike anything I thought I was capable of. Because of him, I might not have been able to save my best friend. And to think that he was the one who caused it in the first place. It made my blood boil.

Fortunately, we outsmarted him that time, for he knew nothing about the Buffalord. Astrid was safe.

But nightmares still plague me every night about what could have happened had we not saved her in time. Even though I know she's fine, I'm always terrified for her safety.

She reassures me constantly that she will be fine, that she's a warrior, that she can take care of herself. Of course I believe her. She's perfectly capable.

But why do I feel this overwhelming need to protect her?

I sigh heavily, and sit up, knowing I won't be getting any more sleep for a while. I put on my prosthetic and walk out of my hut, Toothless grunting questioningly.

"You stay here, Bud," I say. "I'm just going for a walk. I'll be back."

I walk around the Edge. It's not the first time. This calms me when I feel upset.

When we first welcomed dragons on Berk and started the Berk Dragon Academy, Astrid had been my right hand, second in command, and most of all, my best friend. But she still confused me every now and then. When I woke up after the Red Death, she kissed me. What did that mean?

Sure, after that we kissed a few more times, but then the novelty of it all died down. I still don't know if it meant anything. Was it all just me being hopeful? What if it wasn't real? It felt like it meant something to me, but did she feel the same way?

I kick a few stray pebbles on the ground absentmindedly, not really looking where I was going. I sigh.

She's the most important person in my life. I can't imagine a life without her. But if she doesn't feel the same way, how do I solve this? I know we are best friends. She'd never let me down, and I'd never do anything to disappoint her. I need to do something. I can't live like this for the rest of my life.

Before I know it, I'm walking on sand. I've arrived at the beach. I decide to sit down and clear my head before I go back to my hut.

No chance of that. Thoughts are flying around in my head like a flock of Terrible Terrors out of control.

I look up at the sky, where the moon is shining big and bright. What do I do?

Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Astrid sit down on the beach a short distance away. She doesn't seem to have noticed me. She looks up at the navy sky.

I stand up and walk over to her. She sobs, almost unnoticeably. I pretend I didn't hear it. If she didn't want me to hear it, she wouldn't be too happy to know that I did.

"Astrid? You okay?" I ask.

She looks up and wipes her face. "Yeah, I'm fine." She's clearly lying. "I didn't hear you coming."

"I'm sorry," I apologize for startling her. I gesture to the ground beside her. "May I?"

She nods and makes space for me to sit beside her. I turn to her. She hides her face in her arms.

"Are you sure everything's okay?" I ask, placing a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. She stays like that for a minute. When I get no reply I prompt again. "Astrid?"

Finally she looks up and looks at me with her sapphire eyes.

"Hiccup, I need to talk to you."

 _Oh, Thor. What did I do?_

"About what?" I ask nervously.

She avoids eye contact with me. I raise my eyebrows expectantly, encouraging her to continue. She sighs.

"Is Dagur really coming for Heather?" She asks hesitantly, still avoiding my gaze. Instead, she stares straight ahead at the horizon.

"Seems like it," I reply, unsure of where this conversation is going. She pauses for a while, thinking about how to continue.

"Why would he want our help?" Now she looks at me, confused. "What makes him think we'll be willing to help him?"

I should've expected this. I know why. He saved Toothless and I when we were shot down all those weeks ago. We owe him one. He's asking for a favor from us. There's just one problem.

I haven't told the others yet.

"Maybe he thinks we know where she is," I answer slowly, choosing my words carefully.

"But he knows she's our friend," she countered, slowly getting more agitated. "Why would he think we would betray her by giving away her location to our enemy?"

I don't know how to answer that.

"Whatever happens, we promised Heather we would keep Dagur away," I assure her. "And that's exactly what we're going to do."

Astrid hums in reply. We sit in silence for a few minutes. Well, at least I do.

I feel her lean against me and I look down. She's breathing deeply, fast asleep. She looks so peaceful, I can't find it in me to wake her. So I sit there for a while, until I feel my own eyelids grow heavy. I shrug my shoulder gently, forcing her to move.

"What?" She mumbles sleepily. I chuckle. She attempts to glare at me, but she's so tired that she can't pull off anything more than a small frown.

"Nothing," I reply. "You should go back to your hut, get a good sleep."

"I should," she says, standing up. She offers me her hand. "Walk back with me?"

I get up with her help and bow mockingly. "It would be my pleasure, Milady."

I stand straight and she swats my shoulder lightly, laughing as she turns back to the huts. I follow behind her. Once we reach the bridge separating our huts, we face each other awkwardly. _Why is it even awkward though. We're best friends. Why is she staring at me like that?_

"Thanks, Hiccup." I raise an eyebrow questioningly. She doesn't answer my silent question. Instead she turns around to her hut. I shrug and do the same.

"Hiccup!" I turn around. "Good night!" She shuts her side door. I shake my head and smile.

* * *

 **A/N: You didn't think she'd say it that easily, did you? Don't worry. Lots more opportunities for them to say something. Whether they take the chances or not, we shall find out. :)**


	3. A Little Help Never Hurts

I don't think much of it when Astrid walks out the door. She probably just needs some alone time. Truth is, I can't sleep either. My mind is racing a mile a minute, and I can't stop the thoughts that keep me awake. Most of it is about Dagur. I've spent the last few months out on my own with Windshear, taking the time to sort out my thoughts and feelings about my situation.

It wasn't easy. Anyone in my place would say so as well.

Dagur destroyed my entire island. He may be my brother, but how in the name of Thor am I supposed to simply forgive and forget? He killed my family. My friends. My whole village. He left me with no one. Without a family. Sure, technically he is family, but he's responsible for all of my suffering. All of my pain. How do you patch things up with the one who destroyed everything you know and love?

You don't.

I sit up and look around the dark room. Astrid wasn't kidding when she said her hut was made to defend the Edge. She had shields and spare axes hung up on her walls. Her empty bed was in the opposite corner from the one she had set up for me while I stay here. I stand up and pick up my axe, walking to the door. Maybe she wouldn't mind me joining her.

As soon as I take a step outside, I notice Hiccup walking down to the beach. I hide in the shadows behind the hut, so he won't notice. I follow his path down to the beach, where Astrid is.

Wait.

Astrid?

Hiccup is going to see Astrid!

Those two sneaky lovebirds. For a minute I think that this was a planned meeting, but when Hiccup approaches her, she jumps. Okay, they weren't planning to meet up.

But oh my gods, this is amazing.

I move around to the front of the hut, making sure they can't see me should they turn around. Astrid clears a space for Hiccup to sit down beside her. They seem like they're having a conversation. Then, Astrid leans against Hiccup for a few minutes before he shrugs her off. Astrid stands up and offers her hand to pull Hiccup to his feet, er, foot. He bows, how adorable is that, and they turn around.

I turn and run back inside the hut, and lie back down on my bed. Maybe I should just sleep, and not say anything. But what would be the fun in that? I hear footsteps outside.

"Hiccup!" Astrid calls. "Good night!" She shuts the door behind her. I simply lie still with my back facing her. She sighs and walks towards her bed. I turn over and face her.

 _Savor this moment, Heather._

"What have you been up to?" I smirk. Her eyes are wide when she realizes I'm awake. And it's pretty obvious I know what happened.

She stutters for a second and finally regains her speech. "Nothing," she denies. "Nothing at all." Nothing indeed, Astrid.

"What were you doing with Hiccup then?" I ask, still grinning smugly.

Her mouth opens and shuts, much like a fish, as she tries to find an answer. I chuckle and stand up.

"Tell me all about it," I say as I wrap my arm around her shoulders. She shrugs me off and puts her axe back beside her bed.

"There's nothing to tell you," she insists. Even in the dim candlelight, I can clearly see that her face has turned a pale shade of pink. "I couldn't sleep so I went for a walk."

"With Hiccup?" I say in a singsong voice.

"In your wildest dreams, Heather." She rolls her eyes and brings her bangs down to cover her face. She's blushing a whole lot. "He just happened to be there."

"Astrid?" I say, feigning innocence. "Your face is red."

She turns around and glares daggers at me. I keep up the innocent façade.

"Fine," she starts, her voice threatening me to say another word. "I was going to tell him everything, like you said I should. Then I chickened out. Are you happy? Is that enough for you?"

I open my mouth to speak but I can't find the words. She looks at me, satisfied that I'm not going to say anything more and goes to lie back down on her bed. I look down at my hands. What do I do now?

I walk over to her bed and sit at the edge, placing a hand on her shoulder. I don't say anything, I don't have anything to say. I simply be there for my best friend.

"It was horrible," she mumbles, burying her face in her pillow. "He came over and saw me crying. I was going to tell him. But then I freaked out and changed the subject." I only barely make any of this out since she was still covering her face with her pillow. I could easily pull it away from her, but I doubt that would make anything better.

"Astrid, I'm sure it was alright. Judging by how he walked you back like nothing happened, I'd say he didn't suspect a thing," I reassure her. She brings down her pillow from her bloodshot eyes to look at me.

"You think?" She asks hopefully.

"Knowing Hiccup, if things got weird, he would've dismissed himself. I'd say you guys are fine." I smile at her. She sits up and wraps her arms around me. I do the same. "I know you don't want anything to change between you two, but you can't keep living like this forever."

"I know." She wipes the tears away from her eyes. "But let me do it when I feel ready?"

"Of course. I won't say a thing," I promise her. She smiles.

"I should probably get back to sleep. Long day tomorrow," she says. I pat her shoulder and stand up.

"Good night, Astrid." I walk over to my bed.

"Heather?" I turn around. "Thanks. For being there for me. I really appreciate it."

"What are friends for?" I smile widely at her. "See you in the morning." I lie down again, but not before I take one last glance at her. She will be okay.

I don't fall asleep just yet. My mind is racing, but this time, I worry about my best friend. She knows she needs to do something about her feelings. But she won't. I promised her I wouldn't interfere, but if she keeps this up, it's going to hurt her more than anything. Not to mention Hiccup.

I think about my relationship with Fishlegs. I've always been open about it, since Astrid asked that one time. And Fishlegs is Hiccup's best friend too. Wait.

What if we helped them along?

I grin slightly at the idea, and decide to pull Fishlegs aside to talk about it tomorrow.

I told Astrid I wouldn't say anything, but I didn't say I wouldn't help them along. I know the result will be worth it. She may hate me for it, but she will thank me later. No doubt about it. With that thought in mind, I fall asleep.

The next morning, Astrid isn't in her bed. Probably on her morning flight with Stormfly. I get up and leave the hut, and make a beeline for Fishlegs' hut.

He's just leaving when I arrive. He looks up and waves at me.

"Good morning, Hea-" I drag him back into his hut, effectively cutting off his greeting.

"I need your help," I tell him urgently, looking over my shoulder to make sure no one had seen what I just did. He urges me to continue. "Hiccup and Astrid."

"What about them?" He asks, raising an eyebrow. I suspect he knows where I'm going with this.

"We have to help them along. They're not getting anywhere."

He considers my suggestion for a minute before looking back at me with a playful smirk plastered on his face.

"What's the plan?"

* * *

 **A/N: That's it for what I've written so far. I won't promise when I can update again as I need to study for my exams, but I will promise to continue this whenever I can. I already have so many ideas that I can't wait to share and I won't be ending it anytime soon. :)**


	4. Change of Plans

I twirl my axe expertly as Heather and I walk silently towards the stables. Despite us planning a recon flight for the next few days, she managed to convince me to go on a quick lap around the Edge. Leave it to my competitive spirit to accept the challenge.

Once we reach the stables, I rush in and let Stormfly out. She bumps her nose against me and I rub her affectionately. She leans into my touch, begging for more.

Heather walks up to me with Windshear following behind her. "Ready?"

"Of course," I reply, as I mount my dragon. Heather gets on Windshear's saddle as well. "Unless you're too chicken to take us on."

"Please. Windshear and I can trash you any day." She smirks at me. I scoff in response. Stormfly squawks dismissively and spreads her wings.

"Let's go, Stormfly!" She takes off, getting a head start on Windshear.

Before I can turn around and say anything to them, Windshear zooms right past us, the wind blowing my hair all over my face. I scowl at how easily she overtook us and urge Stormfly to go faster.

Right as I'm about to yell at them, Windshear loses her coordination and falls.

"Stormfly, dive!" She manages to grip Windshear in her talons and flies us back to the Edge.

I dismount Stormfly and walk over to Heather checking up on Windshear.

"What happened up there? Is she okay?" I ask, rubbing Windshear's nose. She inhales sharply and I realize what's happening just before I step out of the way, turning back to find a burn mark right where I'd been standing. She sneezes once more. "Is she sick?"

"She must have a cold or something," Heather mutters. "She'll be fine."

"We can't let her go on the recon flight like this. It's too risky." I start walking in the direction of the Clubhouse.

"We could ask someone to go with you instead," She suggests.

I immediately turn down the idea. "They're probably busy with their own things," I reason. "I could go alone."

"But Hiccup said-"

"I'll be fine on my own, Heather. I didn't train my whole life for nothing!" I insist. "Besides," I pat Stormfly on the nose. "I have Stormfly with me."

We enter the Clubhouse. As expected, Hiccup is there, reading over the Dragon Eye notes. Again. He looks up from the pages and smiles. I smile back at him before he goes back to reading.

"I really don't think it's a good idea, Astrid."

I try to shush her before Hiccup overhears us. She waves my hand away.

"In fact, it's a terrible idea." She says slightly louder, as if she means to draw attention.

"What's a terrible idea?" Hiccup stands between Heather and I. _Heather, I will kill you._

Heather looks at me warily before turning to Hiccup. She shrugs and opens her mouth to explain. I beat her to it.

"We were supposed to go for a recon flight this evening but Windshear is sick." Heather tries to cut in but I continue quickly. "I'm trying to tell her I'm perfectly capable of going by myself, but she insists that I take someone else with me."

Heather is just about to say something when Hiccup cuts in. Her eye roll doesn't go unnoticed. "As much as I trust you to take care of yourself, Astrid, it's just too dangerous. We go out in pairs in case anything happens. I can't let you go by yourself either."

"Says the one who goes on secret flights all the time," I mutter. He glares at me subtly. I glance up exasperatedly, although I am touched by his concern for my safety. "I can handle myself out there just fine. You know that." I cross my arms, daring him to challenge me.

"I know that. But just for argument's sake, what if something happens to both you and Stormfly and neither of you can get help?" He counters.

I open my mouth ready to respond, but I realize he's made a good point. The last time that happened, Stormfly had been caught by the dragon hunters and I had been stranded at sea. If it weren't for Hiccup, I would've drowned. I close my mouth with an audible snap and scowl at the ground.

He takes a step closer. I look up, but avoid his gaze. "I'll come with you," he offers.

I dare to look him in the eye. He isn't willing me to say yes. He's simply waiting for a response. I look at Heather. She shrugs, but I can see a small smile playing on her lips. Of course she would find this amusing. Hiccup turns to her and vaguely gestures towards me.

I narrow my eyes slightly. _Heather, don't you dare._

"I think it's a great idea!"

I sigh, making it clear that I'm not happy with this arrangement. "Fine. Meet here in an hour, alright?"

I don't wait for Hiccup to reply. I simply walk out of the Clubhouse. I know he will be here when I am. He always is.

It's strange. I don't know why I was so set on not letting Hiccup come along. Normally I'd jump at the chance to go with Hiccup instead of the other riders. But after last night, I just don't know what to feel anymore. He's always there for me. Why am I even pushing him away? I shove the thought out of my mind before I can dwell on it further.

Stormfly meets me outside my hut and bumps into me, making me stumble back a few steps. She croons, and I giggle at the warm air blowing my hair out of my face.

"Well, looks like Hiccup's coming along this time, girl. You don't mind sharing do you?" She nudges me again. I smile at her affection. "Didn't think so."

I walk into my hut and grab a saddle bag, stuffing some basic supplies into it. Water, enough food for the trip for myself and Stormfly. She squawks at me from the window. I laugh at the sight of her poking her head through the window. She doesn't seem to care how she looks though. She's more focused on staring longingly at the piece of chicken that I left on the table while packing. I pick it up and toss it to her. She catches it skillfully in her mouth before flying off. I shake my head. She pretends to be sophisticated and fierce, but really, she's the most playful dragon I know.

I make my way with Stormfly to the Clubhouse an hour later. As I expected, Hiccup and Toothless are already there, talking to Heather.

"So we could-" Hiccup grins when he notices my arrival. "Hey, Astrid!"

I nod in greeting. "So we could what?"

"I was just telling Heather our plans to defend the Edge from Viggo."

"Right. I may have some ideas, too!" Heather adds in.

"That's great." I try to keep my voice neutral, but judging from Hiccup's expression, I did let some hostility through. Heather innocently avoids eye contact.

"You guys should go. The sooner you leave, the sooner you get back."

Hiccup mounts Toothless. I hop onto Stormfly's saddle and check that I have everything. He checks Toothless' tailfin and the stirrup before turning to me.

"Ready?" He asks. I nod. He waves at Heather, who smiles back at us. "See you when we get back!"

"Have fun, you two!" She says just as we take off.

Fun? It's a recon flight. How fun can that be?

* * *

 **A/N: Suspicious much? I'm having so much fun with this. I didn't expect so many faves and follows on my first story on this website.. And reviews too. Thank you sooo much for the response. And if you have any ideas for this please share them. I'd love to try and add it in. Until next time! :)**


	5. Trouble in the Skies

"Have fun, you two!" Heather calls as Toothless leaps into the air, his wings beating furiously against the wind. Fun? _Seriously?_

Once Astrid and Stormfly catch up to us as we level off, I turn around.

"What fun can a patrol flight be, am I right?" I joke, trying to make light conversation.

"Yeah, right," she mumbles. Well, that didn't work. She avoids eye contact with me, but glances at Toothless. He warbles and jerks, forcing me to face forward to keep my balance.

"Dumb reptile," I mutter under my breath. I promptly get slapped by said reptile's ear flap.

We fly in silence for a while, until the pale blue sky turns to bright, vibrant shades of pink and orange. I sigh. "What did I do wrong, bud?" Toothless grumbles in reply. "It's not like I'm trying to be pushy or anything. I just don't want anybody to go out on a mission alone."

He growls indignantly.

"Okay, fine. I do it all the time, but you're always there to save me from certain death." He shoots me another pointed look, which I conveniently ignore. "I know Astrid is perfectly capable of taking care of herself. I just don't want anything to happen to- GAH!"

"Hiccup?" Toothless starts, not expecting her sudden arrival beside us. My foot slips slightly in the stirrup with the movement.

"Astrid! What brings you here?" Toothless chortles as I right myself in the saddle, mentally slapping myself. I had learned long ago how stealthy the pair could be.

"Yeah…" She drags. "Anyway, I wanted to apologize for being so… You know… Me? About you coming along. I know you mean well."

"What? No! You have nothing to be sorry for!"

"I shouldn't have fought back," She argues. I chuckle at the irony.

"It's fine, really. I know you'd be alright on your own. I'm just here for backup, okay?" She smiles and nods, pleased with my reply. "Oh, and sorry for being so insistent on coming along."

"Like I said, I know you meant well." She flashes me a grin, which I return. "So we're good?"

"Were we ever not?" I laugh. She laughs along. Stormfly chirps happily at her rider's good mood. I watch her laugh. It was so nice to see her happy like this.

"What is it?" She asks.

"Huh?"

"Why are you looking at me like that?" _Oh, dear Thor._ I didn't even realize I was staring at her.

"It's just nice to see you so happy as compared to earlier," I blurt out before I can help myself. Have the gods cursed me to be forever unlucky in the casual conversation department?

I sneak a glance at her expression. Her eyes are slightly wider than usual and her face has taken on a pale shade of pink. I probably look like a tomato compared to her.

I clear my throat. "What happened anyway?"

She stays silent for a minute. "It doesn't matter."

"You sure?" I ask, unsure.

"Yes. Let's just drop it, okay?" I nod and turn back to face forward. I am curious, but I wouldn't want to make her talk if she doesn't want to. Everybody knows it does no good to push a Hofferson over the edge.

The conversation ends there, so I watch as the sky turns deep blue and the stars begin to appear. In the horizon I notice a black formation begin to appear.

"Viggo's base up ahead!" Astrid calls, almost as if she read my thoughts. "Using the clouds as cover?"

"Yup! Toothless, up!" Toothless pulls into a steep climb, Stormfly trailing right below us. He levels off into a steady glide once he reaches the clouds. I can't see further than Toothless' head, but I trust him to see the way for us. We've done this before; fly in through the clouds and emerge directly above the base to search for any new developments.

We dive down just low enough to see the base, but not low enough to be spotted. I pull out my spy glass and look down.

"Anything?" She asks.

"I don't see anything new," I call back. I toss the spy glass towards her and she catches it with practised ease.

"Neither do I," she confirms. "I guess we can head back now."

We both freeze as we hear thunder rumble through the clouds. Great. A storm.

Toothless and Stormfly dive lower to avoid the storm clouds brewing around us. Astrid shoots me a worried glance which I return. As it turns out, we have every reason to worry.

"Dragon riders!"

An arrow whizzes right past me, nearly slicing my arm. "Astrid, we have to go now!"

More arrows follow, and it gets more and more difficult to navigate around them, and with the storm coming, it is just too dangerous to head back into the clouds.

"Hiccup, there's too many!" Astrid shouts as she blocks an arrow from Stormfly with her axe. I scan my surroundings and find an opening in the cloud cover.

"Up there!" I guide Toothless toward it. Stormfly follows but before she can get away from the reach of the arrows, she squawks in pain.

"Stormfly, NO!" Astrid screams and grabs the dragon root arrow, pulling it out of her dragon's leg. Toothless spreads his wings to stop his climb and zips down to catch Stormfly. He maneuvers us out of the range of the arrows and slows down, panting slightly. I look down.

"You guys alright?" I question. Thankfully, Toothless managed to save them both.

"We're fine," Astrid shouts back up, before climbing up to sit behind me on Toothless' saddle. "Thanks."

"We have to land somewhere before the storm worsens. Toothless can't fly like this for too long." I say matter-of-factly. She hums in response.

She remains quiet behind me. I pay no heed to her silence as I search for land to wait out the storm. It seems to be getting worse the further we go, however. The thunder gets louder and lightning follows close behind us. A particularly bright flash of light strikes directly behind us, startling us both. Toothless wails in pain and starts falling.

"Come on, bud!" I try to pull up, but it's no use.

"Umm, Hiccup? His tail!" Astrid screams, turning my head around. His tail was on fire. Could this gods-forsaken day get any worse?

I quickly scan the horizon for anywhere we can land for the night. "There!" I steer Toothless toward the island in the distance. At this point we are so close to the ocean that it's terrifying. One wrong move and we could end up swimming there ourselves. I keep doing my best to pull him up, but it does little to help. Thankfully we make it to the island, but we crash in the forest, falling through the trees. My foot slips out from the stirrup and I am flung away from them as I fall hard on the wet ground, the wind knocked out of me.

I lie there for a while, rain falling on my face, trying to catch my breath, and ignoring the stinging sensation in the multiple cuts from the trees. _Why me?_

"Hiccup?" Astrid calls.

"Alive," I groan as she walks over and pulls me up into a sitting position. "Where's Toothless?" That question proves unnecessary as my face gets covered in dragon spit. I sputter in disgust as I wipe it away. "Stormfly?"

"She's fine. Landed just a bit away from here."

"You?"

"Small cuts but I'm good."

It starts pouring rain. I groan and stand up. "We need to find shelter."

We help Stormfly up and Toothless trots ahead to search for a cave to spend the night in. He rushes back towards us to lead us there. We work together to support Stormfly and make it to the cave shortly. We set her down in the far end of it, where Toothless has already lit a campfire. I pat his head in thanks and crouch to search through his saddlebags.

"Hiccup, what are you looking for?" Astrid stands up from her position beside Stormfly.

"Spare tail," I mutter. "No. No no no no."

"What's wrong?" She asks, walking over and placing a hand on my shoulder. I continue searching frantically through the bags, finding nothing.

I get up and face her. "We're not going anywhere for a while."

"Yeah, there's a storm raging outside, Hiccup." I shake my head.

"I don't have a spare tailfin."

* * *

 **A/N: Hey people! It's been a while, hasn't it? Sorry. I'm on holiday now so I promise I will update more frequently. Maybe not every week, but I definitely won't make you wait for months again. Thanks for being so patient! Until the next chapter! :)**


	6. Alone Together

I stare at Hiccup in utter disbelief. "You don't have his spare tail?"

"I'm pretty sure I had it!" He exclaims. Then he groans. "Or I left it on my bed."

My mouth hangs wide open. How could he be so... Never mind. "You can't be serious." I hide my face in my hands and walk towards Stormfly, facing away from him. "Now we're stuck here and we can't go get help because we're caught in a storm and Stormfly is out cold!" I stroke her head affectionately.

"I'm sorry!" He takes a deep breath to calm down. "I thought I packed it, but we were rushing to meet you," he explains patiently. He knows that I'm already on edge from Stormfly being shot. I make a mental note to thank him later for trying not to get on my nerves.

I spin around to face him and close the distance between us. I look him in the eye. "This is for being so careless." I sock him in the stomach.

"I deserved that," he winces, doubling over. I cross my arms over my chest. He bends down again to study the damage on the tail fin. Toothless croons at Hiccup, who places a soothing hand on his head. "The rods seem to be fine. The material is completely burned though. We're going to be stuck here for a while. We should get some rest." As if to prove his point, lightning flashes outside, illuminating the cavern walls in blinding white light.

"Alright. But first." I walk back over to Stormfly's saddlebag and reach inside, pulling out what I need. I throw it at him. He fumbles with it in his hands before shifting his gaze to me.

"You brought an extra tail?" He flips the cloth over to examine the shape.

I cross my arms and roll my eyes. "This is the part where you say 'Thank you, Astrid!'" He drops the material in a pile beside Toothless and runs forward, wrapping his arms around me in a tight hug. My knees go weak, and I pray he doesn't notice.

"You're a lifesaver! What would I do without you?" He pulls away. I shrug his hands off my arms and sit down, leaning against my dragon.

"You'd be stranded out here in the middle of nowhere with no way of getting back, that's what!" I retort. He shoots me a deadpan look, which I return with an eyebrow raise. "You know I'm right."

Toothless growls in agreement. "Really, bud? Whose side are you on?" The Night Fury merely huffs and lays his head on his paws. "Traitor," he mutters as he leans against Toothless' resting form. His tail comes up to whack him in the face. I smile fondly at the pair. Hiccup shoves Toothless' tail off of him and turns to me, waving the spare tail around. "Thanks for bringing the tail. I'll fix it in the morning," he says. "You rest. I'll take first watch."

"I'm staying up," I say resolutely. There's no changing my mind once it's made up, and he knows it. He doesn't argue with me.

"Okay. So what are we going to do to pass the time?" He asks instead.

"Anything you have in mind?" He shakes his head. "We could just talk," I suggest. "What do you think the others are doing now?"

"Heather and Fishlegs are probably going through the Dragon Eye notes for the billionth time. That's a no-brainer," he laughs. "The twins would've passed out by now. Snotlout too."

"I hope so," I muse. "As long they aren't trashing the Edge, all is good." He hums. "You okay?"

He jerks his head to face me. "What?" I raise my eyebrows. "Oh. I'm great. Never been better!" He avoids eye contact with me and sighs. "Why me?"

"I'm sorry?"

"I mean," he pauses. "I just don't get it. Why did Heather come to me to join you first?"

"Probably because she knows we're best friends?" I lie. I know the real reason. I just don't want to say it out loud to Hiccup. We're stuck together until the storm passes. If it were under any other circumstance, I might say something. "If I'd gone with Snotlout or the twins…"

"You don't have to finish that!" He waves his hands in front of him, laughing. "Why was she so insistent though? And it's not like you to be so unwilling to let me join you."

He suspects. He knows what's up. I can't hide it this way. "I just- I'm an independent person. She wanted to find someone to follow me. But you know me. Stubborn…" I trail off. Way to go, Astrid.

"Really?" He stares at me doubtfully. "I don't think you being independent and stubborn has anything to do with this."

"Hiccup, could we please just drop this now?" I feel my cheeks start to grow warm.

"Okay," he says. "I'm sorry. I won't push any further." He smiles and reaches for the tailfin. Or rather, what's left of it. He pulls it apart and replaces the damaged tail with the spare one before putting it back together.

Suddenly a thought comes to mind. "What do you think of Heather and Fishlegs?"

"What about them?" I smirk. He chuckles softly. "I never realized they were so into each other. But then again, if it were Snotlout or Tuffnut, she'd be pulling her hair out by now."

"Or theirs," I choke out between bouts of laughter. He joins in and comes to sit beside me.

"Truer words have never been spoken, Milady," he agrees. My heart leaps at his nickname for me.

A few hours pass with small talk. Training strategies and Hiccup running plans to take down the Hunters' base by me, nothing out of the ordinary. We crack jokes and laugh at how bad they are, or bicker softly so as to not wake the dragons. We share about our worries and problems on our minds.

"How are things with your dad?" I ask, genuinely curious. It's no secret that the relationship between the Chief and his son has always been strained, but Stoick has been making the effort to be a better father to Hiccup. After three years, it's easy to say it's paid off.

"Great, I guess," he replies. After a moment, he continues. "He's been going on about showing me the ropes of being Chief."

"Isn't that a good thing?" I eye the braid in his hair that came lose in our effort to outmaneuver the hunter arrows.

"Of course it is. At least I think so. But I'm out here with you guys. I'm not going back without you." He pauses as I remove the braid. He throws me a side glance.

"Continue," I say innocently as I begin to weave another braid to replace the one that came loose. He shrugs and tilts his head to make it easier for me to braid his hair.

"But am I getting the experience I need out here?" I tug his braid hard enough to make him yelp.

"Of course you are! I know we can all be a handful, and you may not realize it, but you're our leader." I finish off the braid and tie it up. "We look up to you, Hiccup. It's an unspoken agreement that you're in charge around here."

"But is it the same?" He peers up at me from behind his bangs.

"Nothing will be exactly the same. You'll learn on the job." I poke him in the chest. "And you'll have all of us to help you out. Don't you ever forget that." He grins widely at me.

"Never." He puts his arm around me and I lean into his warm embrace. I close my eyes and enjoy the moment until Stormfly squawks behind me, shifting her wing. We're forced to move so she can stretch it out. I hug her from the side.

"I'm so happy you're alright!" She chirps happily and bumps me with her nose. I hear the sound of rain droplets outside easing up and step out of the cave. "The rain's stopped," I call.

Toothless yawns and stretches out his wings before brushing past me out into the open air. Hiccup follows close behind with Stormfly at his side. She nudges me again and I check her leg. Thankfully, the wound isn't too serious. She won't have any problems flying back.

"Ready to go?" Hiccup asks from atop Toothless' saddle. He opens and closes the tailfin, checking to see that it works properly. I mount Stormfly and she spreads her wings to take off. I smile at him. "Let's go!"

It's a silent flight back to the Edge, the only sounds being Toothless and Stormfly's playful growls as they race each other to the seastacks and islands along the way. Finally we arrive back at the Edge. We land outside the stables. I walk in to let Stormfly in her pen and feed her before walking out. I turn around to make sure she's alright, but she's already fast asleep. The flight must have tired her out more than I realized.

"May we offer you a ride home?" Hiccup asks, holding out his hand. I smile gratefully and take it, hopping into the saddle. Toothless flies me back to my hut, and Hiccup gets down first. He holds out his hand again to help me down. With his help, I jump down from the saddle and scratch Toothless' chin in thanks. "I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"We see each other everyday, Hiccup," I laugh at the pink hue his face takes on. I punch him lightly in the shoulder. "Good night." I open the door.

"Good night."

I step in and close the door.

"How was it?"

 _Great._

* * *

 **A/N: Hi guys! It's only been a few days! It's an achievement! Thank you for all the nice things you said to me last chapter. It really motivated me to write this. That and I was excited to get on with the Hiccstrid developments this chapter. Hope y'all enjoyed it! Until next time! :)**


	7. It's Not My Day

**A/N: YOU GUYSSSSS I AM ALIVE. It's been half a year. I know and I'm sorry. The Miraculous Ladybug fandom called out to me and then I got into a new school and course... But I PROMISED I wouldn't abandon Just Friends. I tried uploading this chapter yesterday but I couldn't for some reason. Anyway, here's Chapter 7.**

* * *

Most days I'd be up early, rising with the sun, wide awake by breakfast time with the other riders. Some mornings I would spend with Toothless or Astrid, using it to catch up or spend some quality time with my best friends. On the rare occasion I actually decide to sleep in to a much more natural time, as it was so nicely put by both Snotlout and Tuffnut, the others typically try to spare me from the rude awakenings I've gotten so used to since becoming the head of the Berk Dragon Academy, even more so since coming to the Edge. But there are some days when some matters just simply need to be attended to immediately. In which case, the riders or their dragons would crash through my door, jolting me from whatever dream I may be in the middle of.

I try my best to ignore the endless knocking at the door, I really do. If it were urgent, whoever it is would've come barging in by now. Toothless groans quietly at the foot of my bed and covers his face with his wing, unsuccessfully blocking out the noise.

Maybe if I ignore them long enough, they'll leave me alone.

 _Knock knock knock_.

I groan and kick the blankets off, exposing myself to the chilly air that hits me like a blast. A shiver works its way up my spine as I trudge down the stairs to answer the door.

 _Knock knock knock_.

"I'm coming!" I grumble, not in the mood to deal with any early morning arguments. Surely Astrid could handle them for a while, right? After all, everyone knows she rises with the sun.

I pull the shutters up and come face to face with none other than Astrid herself.

"What?" _Oh yeah, Hiccup. Way to greet your best friend who is perfectly capable of taking you down with her own two bare hands._ "I mean, what's up?"

I step aside to let her in. She avoids eye contact with me as Toothless trots over to her side and demands attention. She strokes his scales absentmindedly.

I close the shutter and run a hand through my hair in a vain attempt to tame it a little. "Astrid?"

"Heather," she says, hesitantly. "She suspects."

I have the strangest feeling that I know where this is going. My hands fly up to hide my burning cheeks. "Suspects what?"

"Us," she cringes. She turns to face me, her face also taking on a light shade of pink. "I mean, there's nothing going on, but she still-"

"If there's nothing going on, why are you worried about what she thinks?" I can't help the twinge of disappointment but I push it to the back of my mind for her sake. "It shouldn't matter if there's nothing to hide."

"Well, yes, but-"

"Hiccup!" Fishlegs barges in. There's the wake up call from the riders. He tenses when he notices Astrid's presence in my hut. "Am I interrupting something?"

I let out a sigh and shake my head. "What is it now?"

"Snotlout," he deadpans.

"Wow, that's specific," I say with a yawn and a stretch. "I'll be there in a minute."

"Hiccup, can we talk more later?" She watches me with a pleading look.

"Of course," I reassure, squeezing her shoulder. "Dinner?"

She nods and walks out, Toothless on her trail. I follow closely behind after making sure my leg is in working condition. She calls for Stormfly and leaps up on her dragon, taking off hastily. Toothless warbles at me and lowers himself so I can hop into the saddle with ease.

"Alright, Bud." I rub the scales between his ear flaps. "Let's see what trouble they've gotten into this time!"

" _Hookfang!_ " Snotlout's voice echoes around the Edge, startling every single Night Terror perched around the base from their peaceful slumber.

Toothless lands in front of Snotlout's door just as Hookfang takes off in a hurry without his rider. "Snotlout?" I jump off the saddle and steal a glance at Astrid. She shrugs. "Snotlout, is everything okay?"

"What do you think, Hiccup?" He snaps. "That dumb dragon just sneezed all over me!"

I pause in my steps and look around. True enough, it seemed Hookfang had a bit of a cold, judging from the mess of Nightmare gel that covered the walls surrounding his rider.

"Well, Snotlout, it doesn't seem that strange to me," I say. "You do have your namesake all over you." Astrid snorts.

"Not funny, Hiccup. Hooky has allergies," Snotlout growls. "But he doesn't usually take it out on me!" He wipes his hands on his pants, which, unfortunately is covered in even more snot.

"Maybe he's allergic to you," Astrid laughs, clearly enjoying the whole situation. "He never seems to have a problem when he sleeps in the stables."

"Help me get this off!" He whines, flicking whatever is on his hands all over the walls.

"How's Hookfang?" Fishlegs steps into the hut and pauses in his tracks.

"Alright, I knew Hookfang had a cold, but this is ridiculous," Fishlegs mutters to himself, stepping over the mess on the floor. "But I must say, this is a good look for you."

"Shut up, Fishface!"

"That's a huge mess," Ruffnut comments innocently as she steps into the room alongside her brother. They marvel at the mess in wide-eyed fascination. "You sick, Snotlout?"

"Yeah, I didn't know you were capable of such explosive sneezes!" Tuffnut chortles.

"Shut up and help me!" Snotlout wails. _"Please?"_

"Alright, alright. Get outside and wash yourself off." I lead him out. "The rest of us will help clean this up."

As expected, groans all around from the rest of the riders. "We can't let him do this alone!" More quietly, I add, "or we will hear about this all day."

"I heard that, Hiccup!" I roll my eyes.

"Just be careful, this stuff is flammable, guys," Astrid says. She points at the twins. "I'm looking at you, Tuffnut."

"So you want us to set it on fire?" Tuffnut chimes in excitedly. "Barf, Belch!"

Fishlegs slaps a hand over his mouth as Barf and Belch. "Unless you want this building to burn to the ground, taking us along with it, no."

Tuffnut sighs. "Fine. We will do it the boring way."

With that concluding his complaints, at least for the next five minutes, we spend the rest of the morning cleaning up the mess. Multiple times, Astrid glances at me exasperatedly, and I try to smile at her, but it isn't genuine, and she knows it. We all hate how the morning turned out to be.

"And we're done!" I dust my hands off as I lean back against Toothless, watching as Snotlout brings out the last of the flasks of Nightmare gel.

"That took forever," he groans, collapsing against Hookfang, who pulls back, causing Snotlout to fall flat on the ground. "Useless dragon."

"You know, H, I still think it would've been faster if we had just told Belch to spark," Tuffnut says casually, leaning his weight on my shoulder.

I catch a small flicker of light dancing in the corner of my vision. Wait-

"Belch, NO!"

 _BOOM_.


End file.
